25 January 2013

Well it is official. I am back in the ranks of the Unemployed. My last day of work was yesterday 24JAN2013. The Portrait Studio company I worked for decided to close a number of our Studios, the ones I worked at were all on the list of closures. In all there were 266 of our studios closed, everyone at those studios, including some of the higher up management, last day of work was yesterday.

I did file for Unemployment benefits, so everything isnt a total FUBAR. I am also trying to get into one of the Companies other Studios in the area, one of which the Manager did mention she will be looking for another photographer here in the next month or so.. If I am unable to get into one of them I will then try to get a job with one of competitors, be it another Photography Studio Chain or one of the Local Photography Studios.

On another more upbeat note. I have most the new minis I purchased a few weeks ago finished. The Crooked Dice may Killian (Not-Amy Pond) figure that I painted for my friend was delivered (along with a 1/42nd scale die cast Police Cruiser). She absolutely loved it, and has it sitting on a shelf all by itself (with the Police Cruiser of course). She now is talking about getting some of the Wargames Factory Zombies (both males and females) to try her hand at painting, while she has me paint some of the Reaper Chronoscope Zombies for her. I have already started to assemble a ATZ Starter kit for her consisting of Dice, a Ruler, Tokens (some of the Litko ATZ ones that Ed had available for a while), and a carrying case for miniatures (a hard shelled pistol case designed for two pistols). As for the rules I will probably let her keep the copy I printed out right after I purchased the FFO rules, since she seems to have already claimed them as hers along with the 3-ringed binder they are in. I am planning on ordering another set of Colgars Event Cards for her along with printing and assembling some of the Stozels Structures (right now I have the Circus and the Fire House, though I do have a friend down where the one studio I primarily worked at that has the bank, Hospital and Farmhouse that I could probably have print out for me to build) and WWG buildings I have for her so she has some scenery for her games.

04 January 2013

Well I ended up with some new goodies today, a late Christmas Present to myself. Some were even from companies I have looked at but never purchased from.

Heres the Goodies as follows (note there wont be pics since they are still in the packaging or just assembled, no priming or painting and wont have time to work on them till tomorrow evening at the earliest).

Hasslefree
Bubba
Sadie B (already have Sadie A from the Hasslefree/Mantic set) who will be armed with the Katana

Crooked Dice (New company for my collection, though only one of the figures will be mine)
Tweedy Mattison
Policewoman May Killan (this is being painted for a friend that I told if she could find a Mini she wanted to use as her Mini me in ATZ I would paint it for her)

West Wind (the other new company for my collection)
Zombie Hunters 4 pack

I also picked up some more Heroclix figures
John Jameson (unarmed civilian)
Nightshade (armed African American female)
Manchester Black (unarmed civilian)
Bruno Mannheim (will be used as a Thug or Bodyguard
Intergang Underboss (again will be a Bodyguard or Thug)
Maxwell Lord (Unarmed Cop/martial Arts Instructor)
Human Target (armed Civilian)
Lex Luthor (Convict or Escaped Convict)

As it stands most if not all the Heroclix figs will only receive a rebasing and if they do get a brush taken to them, it will be just touch up work. Only one I may do more then touchup to is Maxwell Lord. I am thinking of giving him some Urban Camo pants instead of the solid grey ones he has now.

May is going to be similar to one on the Crooked Dice website with the hair being a slightly different shade and the uniform being a navy blue with white sleeves. As for all the other figures don't know what colors I will be using on them other then the Ringmaster (Red Jacket) and Herq (maroon "speedo")

In addition to the minis I picked up the Army Painter (another company I have never purchase a product from) Metal Miniature Starter Set with the Metal Flash Side Cutter/Sprue Clippers and Hobby file (it was $2US more at the Local Gaming Store then just the Clippers and it came with a sample of the Army Painter Superglue). I have been using a hobby knife to cut bits off of sprues and have been putting off the clippers for the longest time.

I also picked up some incense to go with the Dragon Skull incense burner my parents gave me for Christmas (2 of each of the following scents Lilac, Lemongrass, rosebud, sage, and eucalyptus) along with some Lilac aromatherapy oil to use as a spray mist on my cats litterbox to hopefully freshen up the room it is in.

Edit: Forgot to mention the new cardstock model files I also bought.

I took advantage of the Stoezel's Structures sale and picked up the Carnie Ville (for my Cirque du Infierno) and the Firehouse.

Dont know if I mentioned it back in October/November but picked up from WWG Cathedrea Nocits Retrofit, Podtel, Wildwoods Grove and Urban Grind . Dont know when I will be printing abd building since have no ink for my printer and before I start printing want to upgrade to printer that I can go the CIS route with.

Also while not Zombie related took advantage of the Looney Labs (makers of Zombie Fluxx and the many other Fluxx games) sale on the Back to the Future card game. Since thier licence with universal Studios expires at the end of January they have a couple deals on the BTTF game, one is the game, Pizza Hydrator Promo, Swap Plays promo (for Fluxx) and a BTTF Game poster for $11 the other is the game, 10 posters 25 Pizza Hydrators and 25 Swap Plays for $60, or one could get just the game for $20 without any of the spiffy extras.